Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Aug 30th 2005, 6:12 pm
#46
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by elfman
see post 36
Aug 30th 2005, 6:19 pm
#47
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Its not even that expensive under the Federal insurance program...
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart...kquoteres.html
http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart...kquoteres.html
Aug 30th 2005, 6:20 pm
#48
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by Bob
there's a few brick homes around here, but it's not used because there well f'ing expensive compared to timber...even chimmneys aren't brick all that often...but then wood is the staple for maine along with blueberries and spuds 
Since the cost of the framing part of the house is relatively small, and it's mostly manual labor as opposed materials then a full Brick (breeze block and brick and steel) wouldn't cost that much more.
I'd love to hear from a builder. Bob ? You out there ?
It's not right to say US houses are cheap because they are built so badly. It's demand that drives house prices (and land). They are just built badly because they are.
Aug 30th 2005, 7:09 pm
#49
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by franc11s
I'd love to hear from a builder. Bob ? You out there ?
But anyway, houses can last...the in-laws house and most of the houses on the hill they live on are over 100 years...had to have the roof replaced a few years ago, but the house was sound...so they can be built pretty well...
Aug 30th 2005, 7:25 pm
#50
Re vera, potas bene.
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by jjmb
I feel really sorry for the people on the gulf coast this time as nothing can prevent damage from winds gusts ranging from 100 to 130 miles an hour plus the flooding.
However, having lived in Scotland for many years I was always astounded by the damaged caused by winds barely above category 1 level which is about 70 miles. We used to have those sort of winds every winter and at the most a few roof tiles would come off. One particular winter, the wind was howling at almost 100 miles for several hours and that time some of the flashing needed replacing. This was a station master's house build in the 1840's of the usual solid brick exterior .
Then I moved over here and realised why there was so much damage. What do they expect if they built houses and businesses with wood and plasterboard? Our house has thin brick exterior which is decorative at the best but on the whole it mainly those 2 basic materials. If there was a tornado or hurriance in our area I have no doubt it would be badly damaged. Of course the biggest problem down here is the use of trailer homes (which are used as holiday homes in the UK) because of the poverty in the south.
However, having lived in Scotland for many years I was always astounded by the damaged caused by winds barely above category 1 level which is about 70 miles. We used to have those sort of winds every winter and at the most a few roof tiles would come off. One particular winter, the wind was howling at almost 100 miles for several hours and that time some of the flashing needed replacing. This was a station master's house build in the 1840's of the usual solid brick exterior .
Then I moved over here and realised why there was so much damage. What do they expect if they built houses and businesses with wood and plasterboard? Our house has thin brick exterior which is decorative at the best but on the whole it mainly those 2 basic materials. If there was a tornado or hurriance in our area I have no doubt it would be badly damaged. Of course the biggest problem down here is the use of trailer homes (which are used as holiday homes in the UK) because of the poverty in the south.
We have high winds for days on end on the Cape.....and the last blizzard lasted 24 hours.....70 mile an hours winds near enough all that time.....maybe the snow help keep the roofs on...who knows......my house is a low Cape home......its gone through a few big storms now........it lost part of its roof to a twister in 95..... America could do with building more well built homes.......and put the power lines underground........we have underground power lines in FL and never lost power with 3 storms going right over head......my FL home is also up to code and never lost a tile ......
Aug 30th 2005, 7:32 pm
#51
Re vera, potas bene.
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by anotherlimey
I've heard its quite high in hurricane prone areas; I even heard that in some parts of Florida flood/hurricane insurance is difficult to get because insurance companies don't want to sell it.
It looks like a gamble, you either pay for it now and pay nothing if a hurricane hits, or you don't pay and run the risk of paying a lot more later.
It looks like a gamble, you either pay for it now and pay nothing if a hurricane hits, or you don't pay and run the risk of paying a lot more later.
Aug 30th 2005, 7:39 pm
#52
Re vera, potas bene.
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by Taffyles
and we've got 'good rep' builders :scared: It always makes me smile when Brits claim they can get cheaper houses here...aye they're bloody cheap all right...crap basically. I don't know why anyone gets 30 year fixed mortgages for houses here-the house aint really going to be worth having after 30 years. We go for 7/1 arms..seven years is long enough to stay in a house, sell it at a good price and in good nick.. and get a new one...when these houses start to go, boy do they deteriorate fast. That's if you escape hurricanes in the meantime
Houses in the US need more care that English ones.......but if you do that..they last just as well.........
Aug 30th 2005, 7:41 pm
#53
Re vera, potas bene.
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by Bob
there's a few brick homes around here, but it's not used because there well f'ing expensive compared to timber...even chimmneys aren't brick all that often...but then wood is the staple for maine along with blueberries and spuds
Aug 30th 2005, 8:46 pm
#54
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by krizzy
Most of the house in my town in MA were built in the 1800s...and still going strong........my house is going on 40 years old......
Houses in the US need more care that English ones.......but if you do that..they last just as well.........
Houses in the US need more care that English ones.......but if you do that..they last just as well.........
Aug 30th 2005, 9:09 pm
#55
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
They are overreacting, some house damage and a few deaths. And this gets more coverage then what the Tsunami in Indonesia got 10 times over.
Aug 30th 2005, 9:14 pm
#56
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by Taffyles
Our house in PA was well built- but not the ones they've been throwing up in Florida for a long time....the builders themselves will tell you that. If the houses were built better down here there wouldn't be as much destruction from hurricanes.
When homes are advertised as 'brick' in the US, they are advertising the homes to be made from concrete blocks. That is what classifies it as a brick home, down here anyway, as opposed to a frame house. Not the brick that we are all used to.
Having lived here for a while, I quite like having the 'plasterboard' interiors. Remodeling is a pleasure as opposed to back home where it takes years to do anything, and costs an arm and a leg.
Aug 31st 2005, 2:03 am
#57
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by izibear
I know a remodeller who has made a fortune from fixing up a well known construction company's shoddy work for the past 8 years! He told me he was thinking of sending the chairman of said listed company a box of cigars for his workmanship
When homes are advertised as 'brick' in the US, they are advertising the homes to be made from concrete blocks. That is what classifies it as a brick home, down here anyway, as opposed to a frame house. Not the brick that we are all used to.
Having lived here for a while, I quite like having the 'plasterboard' interiors. Remodeling is a pleasure as opposed to back home where it takes years to do anything, and costs an arm and a leg.
When homes are advertised as 'brick' in the US, they are advertising the homes to be made from concrete blocks. That is what classifies it as a brick home, down here anyway, as opposed to a frame house. Not the brick that we are all used to.
Having lived here for a while, I quite like having the 'plasterboard' interiors. Remodeling is a pleasure as opposed to back home where it takes years to do anything, and costs an arm and a leg.
) he's getting a bit fed up with me saying "Can you fix it?" though. So far I've made him move a window that was off centre, bring the porch down (they'd built it too high), redo one edge of the roof...and I aint even started on the inside..yet. He told us that our house is going to be like a show house because he'd never had so many complaints....which was a good thing- he hastened to add. Actually this is the second house we've had with them- and they aren't bad really compared to some and they do a really good warranty...my son was in the trade before his accident and he gave us a list of builders to steer clear of...surprising some of the well known, 'expensive' names on there. I remember my hubby battling to rehang a heavy old door in UK..he kicked the (inside) wall in temper in broke his toe
He wouldn't dare do that here- his foot would go right through!Some two storey houses only go up half way with breeze block- the second floor outside walls are plywood :scared:
Aug 31st 2005, 2:25 am
#58
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by Bob
Big chunk of the poor *****ers that live out there work for the navy and military bases, so don't have much choice in where there stationed, and can't afford to go bugger off...it's a touch situation and there could be more done for these people, but there wasn't, so there stuck aren't they.
The majority of New Orleans poor do not have a place to go or a way to get there and would not go anyway, because they would have to leave their family and relatives behind to try to survive on their own. Even getting to the Superdome was out of the question.
Aug 31st 2005, 3:06 am
#59
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by jaytee
Yeah, the rich people got in their SUVs and drove off, leaving the poor behind.
The majority of New Orleans poor do not have a place to go or a way to get there and would not go anyway, because they would have to leave their family and relatives behind to try to survive on their own. Even getting to the Superdome was out of the question.
The majority of New Orleans poor do not have a place to go or a way to get there and would not go anyway, because they would have to leave their family and relatives behind to try to survive on their own. Even getting to the Superdome was out of the question.
Aug 31st 2005, 12:27 pm
#60
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Re: Those Poor People Affected by Hurricane Katrina
Originally Posted by izibear
I can't believe the devastation I'm seeing tonight. Shock.
Without fresh water, electricity, no sewage treatment and now dead people and animals floating around in the high heat and humidity it's a recipe for disease......wouldn't be surprised if there is an outbreak of something like cholera soon.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WEATHER/08/3...ina/index.html
When the order came to evacuate New Orleans, I wonder if the Mayor had actually arranged some kind of transportation to evacuate the very poor people with no means of transporting themselves.....plus after all if you don't have money to pay for a bus or train ticket to get out of the city or for a motel room miles from home, what option do you have other than stay put?
Last edited by Englishmum; Aug 31st 2005 at 12:51 pm.